


10 Percent Cocoa

by headofmarimo



Series: Valentine's Day Drabbles [4]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Romance, Valentine's Day, What do you mean it's not Valentine's Day anymore, uhhhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 08:05:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13700343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/headofmarimo/pseuds/headofmarimo
Summary: Ryuji doesn't have anywhere else to go on Valentine's Day.





	10 Percent Cocoa

**Author's Note:**

> (Crap, it's not Valentine's Day anymore? ^~^  
> Oops. Ummmm, hope you enjoy reading though!  
> Akiryu now fuels my life.)

“I called Yusuke before headin’ over here, and even he got some! I mean, the dude’s a freak!” griped Ryuji.

Akira couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “You sure you aren’t just jealous?” he asked casually.

“I ain’t jealous!” answered Ryuji defensively. “I just, er, don’t think it’s fair he’s having such a good time while we’re stuck like this! I mean, what’s he got that we don’t?”

“Hm, good looks maybe?” replied Akira before taking a sip of his coffee, not bothering to hide his disinterest in the conversation at hand.

“What, and I don’t? I mean, I at least like to think that I don’t look half-bad,” muttered Ryuji. “And why isn’t Mishima here with us? Don’t tell me he… did he betray us?!”

Akira sighed. “Just drop it Ryuji. Truthfully, I don’t really understand why you’re making such a big deal out of this.”

“Don’t understand...? Bro, it’s Valentine’s day! Any reasonable dude would be upset over not getting chocolate today!”

Ryuji gave a disheartened sigh and slumped back into the booth. “Sometimes I just don’t get ya man. Are you actually tellin’ me that you’re not pissed off right now?”

“Why should I be?” asked Akira, the corner of his mouth lifting into a small smile. “I’m getting to spend time with the person I wanted to see today, so if anything, I’m pretty happy. Although a change in topic would be nice.”

Ryuji’s brows furrowed together, the tips of his ears turning pink. “H-hey, don’t say shit like that dude! Makes it seem like we’re dating or somethin’, jeez.” huffed Ryuji as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Akira dropped the smile. “Oops, sorry,” he murmured.

Ryuji stared at him for a moment and cleared his throat. “Oh, but…” the blond tossed something small onto the table, and upon closer inspection Akira could see that it was a single piece of chocolate wrapped in foil. “I was buyin’ somethin’ at the convenience store, and the shopkeeper lady gave me this.” Ryuji slid the chocolate towards Akira, his eyes suddenly taking an interest to the wall as he did so. “Here… you can have it.” he mumbled.

Akira gawked at the piece of chocolate, a fuzzy warmth slowly enveloping his senses the longer he stared at it before he finally took it into his hand, slowly turning the bit of chocolate between his fingers: He knew it was silly. A single bit of cheap chocolate that Ryuji just happened to give him as a hand-me-down shouldn’t have made him so pleased.

But it did.

“Heh, is this a confession?” asked Akira before he could stop himself.

Shit. Why the hell did he say that out loud? He tried to pass the question off as a joke with a goofy smile, but his heart was pounding so frantically in his chest that Akira was sure the other boy could hear it.

Ryuji suddenly straightened up in his seat; his face was flushed a deep red (Akira's words must have really pissed him off) as he pounded both fists on the table, causing the ice in his glass of soda to clink and Akira’s coffee to lap against the sides of the mug. “W-what?! Ah dude, h-hell no!” he exclaimed, his voice resounding through the empty café.

Oh.

Akira should’ve known that was the case, but that didn’t stop his heart from sinking right to the bottom of his stomach.

“Haha, just kidding.” he replied, forcing himself to not let his voice waver.

Ryuji sighed and sank back into the booth. “Sorry, didn’t mean to yell like that,” he muttered, cheeks still tinged pink.

“It's fine. I should’ve known that was in bad taste, so I'm the one who should be saying sorry.”

“What? W-wait, no, don’t apologize man. It just kinda caught me off-guard. I mean, could you imagine  _me_ confessin’ to _you_?” said Ryuji with a nervous chuckle.

“Would it really be that weird?” the question slipped right out from Akira’s mouth. What the absolute hell was wrong with him, saying all of these things? He couldn’t take it back now, so instead he sat there stupidly and waited for Ryuji to respond, wishing more than anything that he still had his Navigation app if only to disappear into Mementos and stay there forever.

Ryuji simply stared at him. He opened his mouth but hesitated before speaking again, leaving Akira in a few more moments of agonizing suspense for his response.

“Heh, seriously? Dude, you know that wouldn’t… I mean… that’s… agh! It’s… look, let’s just drop it. I think we’re both just on edge about not gettin’ any chocolate.” finished Ryuji.

“But I’m not on edge. If anything, I thought we were just going to spend this evening like any other time we hang out, but all you seem to want to do is complain about not getting any chocolate.” responded Akira, unable to restrain the snap in his voice. Was being with him on this sorry excuse of a holiday really that bad? He hated the bitter taste welling up in his throat that didn't have any of coffee's pleasantness, and Akira wasn’t sure how much more he could stand of Ryuji acting like he’d rather be anywhere else than here.

“Gee, I really gotta spell it out for you, huh?” huffed Ryuji, his irritation growing more evident as well. “Listen, it’s upsetting cause, well…” Ryuji started to trail off, his voice growing softer while he tilted his head and crossed his arms trying to think of the best way to explain. “er, when you get chocolate on this day, it’s like… someone givin’ a heads up that they, um, care about you, ya know? That they like havin’ you around or some shit like that, which is why it just kinda sucks when you don’t get any.” muttered Ryuji while his shoulders sagged.

Oh. A pang of guilt pierced through Akira’s chest. “I… think I get it now." he sighed. "I’m sorry Ryuji, if I had known that was how you felt about getting chocolate today, then I would’ve just gone and bought some for you.” murmured Akira.

Ryuji gaped at him, and it took a few moments for Akira’s brain to process the implied meaning behind his words.

Holy shit.

“O-oh, um, not like _that_ though. Just as in, uh, showing that I care about you as a friend!” spluttered Akira; he fervently hoped that he wasn’t blushing.

Ryuji’s eyes took an interest to the wall again. “Hey, Akira… how would you react if this was a confession?” he asked quietly.

Akira didn’t answer, so Ryuji continued to talk: “Like, if I said I’m pissed about not getting any chocolate, but at the same time I’m glad you didn’t either, because that meant I could hang out with you today, even if I don’t sound too thrilled about it.” Ryuji’s hands were clenched together, kneading. “If I said… that I thought we were always going to just be good bros, so it really freaked me out when I realized you're someone I always want by my side, because that might’ve meant that I see you as… more than a friend, a-and that I’m actually scared shitless right now, spending effin’ today of all days with you like this in case I manage to figure out my feelings and it turns out they’re... ” mumbled Ryuji. Akira could see how much effort it was taking the other boy just to say this: Ryuji’s body was starting to tremble a bit.

When Akira finally remembered how to use his words again his voice was barely audible. “I think… I’d be really happy…”

Ryuji diverted his gaze from the wall and stared at him, eyes widening. “Akira…”

Akira cleared his throat and tried again. This needed to be said louder, with as much conviction as possible. “I’d be really happy, Ryuji,” he stated firmly. “if you confessed to me.” because it was true. Right now his spirit was being lifted right up into the air, soaring through the clouds.

Akira didn’t think he had ever seen Ryuji’s face so red before; he wondered if his own face mirrored the color.

“O-okay,” said Ryuji, voice cracking. “S-so, um, I, u-um… l…li-ke you, dude.” the last few words were strained through, but they were more than enough to make Akira want to crash through Leblanc’s glass door and run down the streets, shouting his praise up towards the sky to whoever invented the best day of the year.

But first, he needed to make sure Ryuji also understood how he felt. Akira smiled and toyed with the piece of chocolate a little longer before setting it aside on the table so it didn’t melt. “I like you too, Ryuji.” he beamed. Damn, it felt so good to finally say it.

Ryuji didn’t say anything in acknowledgment, but a small smile spread across his flushed face. “H-hey, mind if I sit next to you?” he asked.

Akira nodded his head and scooted to the side to make room while Ryuji stood up and walked over. When Ryuji sat down again he tensed, his arm barely brushing against Akira’s, before leaning into Akira and resting his head on Akira’s shoulder. Akira followed his example and rested his own head on Ryuji’s. It was nice, having the warmth and comfort of his best friend—no, that wasn’t right anymore—boyfriend so close to him, short blond locks of hair brushing against his neck while he felt the steady rise and fall of Ryuji’s breathing.

“Man, now I’m pissed off for a different reason,” muttered Ryuji.

“What are you mad about now?”

“I’m mad that we didn’t do this sooner,” replied Ryuji, nestling even closer to Akira. “I mean, you’re leaving in a month and everything. Whatever, can’t do anything now except make up for lost time, right?”

Akira placed his hand on top of Ryuji’s, lacing their fingers together.

“Right”.

He turned and planted a kiss on Ryuji’s temple.

“… I love you.” murmured Ryuji. They were no longer afraid.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> (You spent a romantic evening with Ryuji... ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
> Not quite as long as I had hoped, but thanks for reading!)


End file.
